To date, the effects of these threats on the long-term persistence of stingrays in NLLS are unknown due to the limited key studies. Also, during our previous RSG, we observed a lack of conservation awareness, low legislation, and a rapid increase of fisher’s number in NLLS. Though actively intense, the fishing of stingrays in NLLS is still ignored, and many actors are unaware of threats arising from their activities to the fish resource. Given the population declines and increased threats to stingrays in NLLS, it is critical to intensify conservation actions through research, outreach and stakeholder meetings to strengthen the conservation and management of stingrays in the area. On this premise, this project is designed to safeguard the last remaining populations of stingrays in NLLS and its associated habitats.

The objectives of this project are to (a) use social science survey to document socioeconomic factors affecting stingrays; (b) use ecological field survey to understand fish ecology; and (c) raise conservation awareness within fishing communities. This project will generate baseline information for drafting survival blueprints for our focal species in NLLS.